question for other childminders/nursery/playgroup staff in northern Ireland

[ziggy]

3 years ago the local playgroup leader organised a first aid course. Herself and her staff as well as a few local childminders and myself completed the one day course and paid £35. We were given a certificate at the end of the day.

At my last inspection (September 2013) the social worker checked the certificate and said it was fine.

Certificate is due to run out this month. So same playgroup leader is running same course and once again charging £35. I recently heard from another minder who was recently inspected that this certificate wasnt valid as it wasnt a paediatric course.

So I asked if this course would be the right one and was told it was basic first aid level 2. Not wanting to waste a saturday or £35 on this course I called social services this morning and was told 'we're not experts in first aid but it needs to say paediatric somewhere on certificate'.

I'm not doing course now I have this information but others are going to do it regardless.

Just wondered if anyone else in Northern Ireland has had similar problems. And also if a minder has incorrect certificate would this not make insurance invalid? Feeling very confused

[macherie]

I did a Paediatric First Aid Course about 10yrs ago and then refreshed it with the basic first aid course I was doing with the Girl Guides. I was advised this year to do the. Paediatric one even though my first aid was still valid. The only difference was we practised CPR on the baby and child dummies as well as the adult one. Our Early Years Team organised new compulsory training for all childminders in our area.

[tess1981]

It has to be paediatric.. you are right not to waste your money on basic level 2.... its one of the requirements if the new standards

[Ripeberry]

It has to be a 12 hour course, with an exam at the end of it. This was updated last year.

[sarah707]

Ziggy is in Ireland and doesn't follow the Eyfs ... which means that your rules might well be different to ours!

Our course has to be 12 hour paediatric ... but that doesn't necessarily mean yours has to be too x

[SYLVIA]

i knew it had to be 12 hours n paediatric but didn't know we had to have an exam at the end. Got one over the next two Saturdays so ill be expecting an exam then

[watford wizz]

Iv just done my 12 hour paediatric and didn't have exam at end just continual assessment throughout.